Reply by Saxon

This may be repeat of the above, but there are two basic styles of cutting boards – end grain and edge/face grain. End grain is typically the preferred style from a functional standpoint, as the end grain surface wears on the knife less than the edge grain surface. From what I understand, when using a sharp knife, the fibers kind of displace to either side during the cut instead of the knife cutting down into the fibers like with edge grain. However, end grain is a little more difficult to make.

I would think if you had a sufficiently large piece of wood for the size board you want to make, you could make an edge/face grain board with a single cut. As others said, cutting strips, sticks, and other shapes opens up some possibilities for multi-species boards and decorative designs. However, if you are going end grain you’re going to have to do some cutting and glue-ups. I highly recommend Wood Whisperer #7 (thewoodswhisperer.com) on making an end-grain cutting board – great discussion on gluing strategies and finishing.